Tufting machine



Aug. 26, 1.941.- 'J GARFIELD lai-AI. I i 2,254,035

TUFTING MACHINE i I i Filed May 3, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 All@ 26,1194]- J. GARFIELD E-rAL 2,254,035

. TUFTING MACHINE A' Filed May 3, 1939 3 Shee'lZs-Sheei'l Patented ug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'TUFTING MACHINE Joseph Garfield and Hyman L. Simon, Chicago, Ill. Application May s, 1939, serial No. 271,431 9 Claims. (Cl. 112-79) This invention relates to machines formaking tufting work on fabrics, and more especially to an attachment which can be used with a sewing machine of standard construction. f

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device for forming tufts in fabrics which will be speedy, produce uniform tufts, operate with a minimum of noise, and whichwill'be eflicient in eliminating wastage through imperfect goods. Another object of the invention is to provide such an attachment which will utilize the feed lift bar as a major means for operating a cutter vfor splitting the loops, so that the cutting may be done swiftly and at the proper time. y

Another object of the invention is kto provide anvimproved cutter or knife carrier so arranged that-the proper tension may be securedubetween the knife and a ledger blade and so arranged that the cutter may be removed for sharpening and replaced quickly.

Another object of the invention is to'provide a simple bracket for supporting the mechanism which has provisions for adjusting the looper laterally with reference to the needle forv'mechanical perfection, and also meansy for adjusting the looper vertically to regulate the length of the loops or tufts. A Y v i Other and specific objects are inherent in the device, some of which may be apparent from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.v

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of embodying -this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section approximately on line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a verticalsection through the knife or cutter assembly (30) and Y Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatical views showing three phases of a cycle of operation of the mechanism, many details of the mechanism being omitted.

The mechanism embodyingV the improvement is intended to be included in or with sewing machines of known construction, not limited to any particular machine, but including gener-ally those parts and mechanisms which are recognized as the mechanism standard, by which the device vis operated and with which it cooperates.

Such a machine has a flat base I, supporting anupright stock, an over-hanging arm and a head, not shown. The head is provided with the usual reciprocating bar carrying a needle 2, Aprovided with an eye for receiving tufting thread or yarn A. This tufting thread is fed from any suitablesource, not shown, and any suitable tension means may be provided for tensioning the tufting thread. The sewing machine embodies the usual means for reciprocating the needle and the usual pressure foot 3, carried by a presser bar 4.V

The sewing machine further'embodies workfeeding means. to advance the work B from the operator (right to left, Fig. 1; rearwardly, Fig. 3; and `.left to right, Fig. 4). This work-feeding means includes dogs 5, mounted on a bar 6, slidably actuated by a crank 1 on a shaft 8. The front of the bar 6 has a fork 9, engaging a roller I0 on a'crank I I, secured to and rocked by a feed lift shaft I2. It will be understood that the shafts 8 and |2are rocked through cams on the usual drive shaft ofthe sewing machine in the usual manner well known in the art. The foregoing description is that of the conventional sewing machine. j A looper I3 isioscillated'by an operatingrock shaft .I4 similarlypositioned and similarly driven to the usualoperating shaft for a shuttle in a sewing machine used for seaming. The shaft I4 cai-ries a-crank I5, connected by a link I6 to the looperi I3. The outer end of the link IB is loosely `journalledl o'n a shaft Il, rigid with the looper I3', the; shaft beingsuch as to permit longitudinalLmoVement of the link therealong, thus allowing for lateral adjustmentof the looper without disturbing the rock shaft I4 or its crank I5. A pedestal, postor lug I8 depends from the base I` and is conveniently cast integrally with the base. It serves as a journal for the outer end of the shaft I4. The post I8-also serves as a support for the` looper mechanism.

The looper I3 is pivoted on a shaft I9, which is adjustably secured to and supported by a bracket .20, adjustably supported on the lower end of the post I8.v The bracket 20. is in the form of a right angle-with a-horizontal leg abutting the y machined klower surface of the post I8, in a manner, `as 'best shown in Fig. l, tobe adjustable longitudinally along the bottom of the post. The post I8, has longitudinal edge grooves to accommodate matching flanges 2I on the bracket; The bracketAZIl is secured to the post by a screw 22, which passes through a slot 23 in the horizontal leg of the bracket 20 into the post. The slot 23, being elongated, permits horizontal adjustment of the bracket and, with it, the looper I3. This permits Aa lateral adjustment of the looper'with reference to the needle 2 and is provided to secure mechanical perfection. As explained above, since the link I6 is loosely journalled on the shaft or pin I1, such a lateral or horizontal adjustment of the looper may be made without disturbing the shaft I4 or its crank I5 by which the looper is oscillated.

The shaft I9 is secured on the vertical leg of the bracket by a nut 24, the shaft passing through a slot 25, which permits Vertical adjustment of the looper I3, whereby the length of loops in the yarn A may be varied.

As best shown in Fig. 1, a groove 26 provides a way for the bifurcated end of a hook 21 on the looper I3, the hook being fastened by a screw 28 through its fork, The hook 21, therefore, is removably and adjustably secured to the shank lof the looper I3. The hook 21 acts as a ledger blade to cooperate with a knife or blade 29, whose assembly, which as a Whole including the frame may be designated as a cutter 39, is pivoted on the looper I3, and more specifically on the outer end of the pin I1.

The pin |1 forms a stud shaft open at its outer end, to facilitate the removal and replacement of the cutter 39, when the blade 29 requires sharpening, as will be referred to later in this description.

The cutter 39 is moved on its pivot I1 by means of the rock shaft I2 (the shaft which also serves to lift the front of the feed bar 6) A crank arm 3|, secured to the rock shaft I2, is connected by a link 32 to the cutter 30, and serves at the proper time in the cycle of operation to lift the knife 29 into cooperative relationship with the hook 21, as a ledger blade, to part loops C in the yarn A after they are formed on the hook 21 of the looper I3.

The operation of the device is illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, which while diagrammatical, are true drawings except for the omission of details.

Fig. 6 illustrates the device as it is when the needle is in uppermost position. In this position two loops C have been formed from the yarn A by the looper I3, one of which has been cut by the knife 29, leaving one uncut loop on the hook 21. It is important that the device be so arranged t'hat in normal operation one loop remains uncut on the knife, otherwise there will be a tendency to pull the loose ends of the yarn upwardly, making the tufts uneven. As the material B moves backward it carries the loops into the path of the knife 29 but leaves one loop C sufciently forward to escape the knife. In the position shown in Fig. 6, the knife 29 and its assembly 30 have been moved to uppermost position by the crank arm 3| on the rock shaft I2.

The position shown in Fig. 7 is approximately 180 advanced in the cycle of operation, the needle 2 has been moved to its lowest position, the looper I3 has been moved backward by the crank I5 on the shaft I4 and the cutter 30 with the knife 29 has been dropped to its lowerrnost position by the crank arm 3|. In this position the looper is ready to be advanced so that the point of the hook 21 passes between the thread and the needle 2 to form a loop.

In Fig. 8 the mechanism has been advanced approximately 90 in the cycle from that shown in the preceding figure. The needle 2 is about halfway up and the hook 21 is shown as being engaged in the yarn and in the process of forming a loop. In this position the cutter 30 with the knife 29 is about to be raised by the crank arm 3| to sever the second loop on the hook 21,

as shown in Fig. 6, which is advanced approximately 90 in the cycle over Fig. 8.

The arrangement of the mechanism is such as to permit the ready removal of the work when the end of a line of tufting has been reached. As explained above, in the normal operation of the machine, one loop is left remaining on the hook 21. When it is desired to remove the work and the mechanism is in the position as shown in Fig. 6, it is necessary only to reverse the movement of the machine as by grasping the ywheel, not shown in the drawing, and turning it 90 in a reverse position to that shown in Fig. 8, then forwardly again to the position shown in Fig. 6. 'I'his will perform the function of moving the work B rearwardly one stitch, without making another loop, bringing the last loop in the path of the knife and causing the knife to sever the last loop. Thereby the last loop is cut cleanly and the work may be removed from the machine. This is of importance since usually a single piece of work will comprise many lines of tufting and much time is saved by being able to quickly and accurately sever the last loop cleanly and remove the work to begin a new line.

The cutter or knife assembly 30 is such as'to permit its removal quickly and readily from the mechanism so that the knife 29 may be resharpened and quickly replaced. As explained above, the cutter assembly 30 is mounted on the open end ofthe shaft I1. It is held in position only by the link 32, which is connected to the cutter 30 by a removable pin 33 on which the link 32 is journalled. The pin 33 is held in position by a thumb screw 34. Thus it may be understood that by loosening the screw 34, the pin 33 may be slipped out, the cutter 30 dropped so as to bring the knife 29 from behind the hook 21 and the assembly pulled oif the shaft I1. The cutter 30 may be replaced quickly by the opposite of the above procedure.

The knife or cutter assembly 30 is of new and novel construction. It includes a body portion having a boss 35 fitting the shaft I1 and a forwardly extending lever or arm 35, the Outer end of which is bored to receive the pin 33 and having a threaded hole to receive the thumb screw 34. It also includes a cage (see Fig. 5) by which the knife `is held in tension against the edge of the hook 21. This cage includes spaced bosses 31 and 38 bored to receive a shaft 39. A box 40 is rigidly secured to the inner end of the shaft 39 and is formed to adjustably hold the knife 29. The box 40 has overhanging iianges 4I, against which the knife is pressed by a set screw 42 passing entirely through the shaft 39 and bearing against the side of the knife to press it against the flanges 4I. 'I he screw 42 maybe divided so that its inner portion is a separate pin 42d..V Preferably, a shim 43 is interposed between the end of the screw 42 and the side of the knife 4| in the box 40. By this means the knife may be adjusted in position while the cutter assembly 30 is associated with the mechanism since the screw 42 has its head exposed outwardly.

Novel means for giving a tension between the knife 29 and the hook 21 have been provided. A dog 44 is secured to the shaft 39 by a set screw 45 and has guide means at its outer end cooperating with a guide bar 46 secured on the bosses 31 and 38 parallel with the shaft 39. A helical spring 41 is positioned about the shaft 39 bearing against the boss 38 and the dog 44. This spring serves to press the knife 29 against the face of the hook v21, while at the same time the dog 44 prevents rotation of the shaft 39, thus making the entire knife assembly rigid except for the lateral motion permitted to the knife.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the invention accomplishes its objects. Various changes may be made in the details of construction within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention and parts of the invention may be used to advantage without the whole.

We claim:

l, In a tufting machine having a feed plate, a rock shaft adapted to oscillate the plate laterally, a second rock shaft to oscillate the plate vertically, and an operating rock` shaft, the improved combination comprising a looper, a connection between the operating rock shaft and the looper whereby the looper is oscillated by said shaft, an oscillating cutter adapted to cooperate with the looper in shearing relationship, and means connecting the cutter with and for operation by said second rock shaft.

2. In a tufting machine having a feed plate, a rock shaft adapted to oscillate the plate laterally, a second rock shaft to oscillate the plate vertically, an operating rock shaft, and a base supporting said shafts, the improved combination comprising a looper pivoted under and to said base, a crank on the operating rock shaft, a link connecting the crank and the looper, a pivoted cutter arranged and adapted to cooperate with the looper in shearing relationship, and operating means connecting the cutter and said second rock shaft.

3. In a tufting machine having a feed plate, a rock shaft adapted to oscillate the plate laterally, a second rock shaft to oscillate the plate vertically, an operating rock shaft, and a base supporting said shafts, the improved combination comprising a looper pivoted under and to said base, a crank on the operating rock shaft, a link connecting the crank and the looper, a cutter pivoted to the looper and adapted to cooperate with the looper in shearing relationship, a lever fixed to said second rock shaft, and a link connecting the lever and the cutter, whereby the cutter will be operated by said second rock shaft to sever a loop retained on the looper upon movement of said shaft to elevate the feed plate.

4. In a tufting machine having a feed plate, a rock shaft adapted to oscillate the plate laterally, a second. rock shaft' to oscillate the plate vertically, and an operating rock shaft, the improved combination comprising a looper frame pivoted-under and to said base, a looper hook adjustably supported by said frame, a crank on said operating shaft, a link connecting the crank and said frame, a cutter frame pivotally connected to the looper frame, a blade adjustably supported by the cutter frame in shearing relationship to said hook, and a lever and link connection between the cutter frame and said second rock shaft.

5. In a tufting machine, a looper frame pivotally supported for oscillatory movement on the machine, a shaft extending through said frame,

a link for moving the frame connected to the shaft, and a cutter frame having a knife in shearing relationship to a hook on the looper frame pivotally supported on the shaft.

6. In a tufting machine, a looper frame pivotally supported for oscillatory movement on the machine, a hook secured to said frame and having an edge at one face thereof formed as a ledger blade, a stud shaft on said frame extending outwardly opposite from said face on the hook, a cutter frame journalled on said shaft, and a blade positioned in shearing relationship to the hook adjacent said face and yieldingly mounted for lateral movement on the cutter frame.

7. In a tufting machine having a work support, a reciprocating needle to carry yarn through the work and produce loops, and driving mechanism, the improvement comprising a looper frame pivotally supported below the Work support, a link for oscillating the frame pivotally connected on one side of the frame and to the driving mechanism, a cutter pivotally mounted on the frame on the side thereof opposite said link and pivoted concentric with the link, and a looper hook removably mounted on the upper end of said frame above said pivotal connections constructed and arranged to cooperate with the needle to form loops and having an edge at one face thereof providing a ledger blade to cooperate With a blade on the cutter.

8. In a tufting machine having a work support, a reciprocating needle to carry yarn through the work and'produce loops, and driving mechanism including an oscillating crank shaft below the work support, the improvement comprising a looper frame pivotally supported below the work support, a link for oscillating the frame pivotally connected on the frame and to the crank on said shaft, a cutter pivotally mounted on the frame concentric with the said pivotal connection with the link, and a looper hook removably mounted on the upper end of said frame above said pivotal connection constructed and arranged to cooperate with the needle to form loops and to function as a ledger blade cooperating with a blade on the cutter.

9. In a tufting machine having a Work support, a reciprocating needle to carry yarn through the work and produce loops, and driving mechanism, the improvement comprising a looper frame pivotally supported for oscillatory movement below the work support, a hook rigidly secured to said frame constructed and arranged to cooperate with the needle to form loops and having an edge at one face thereof formed as a ledger blade, a cutter assembly comprising a frame pivotally supported on the looper frame and having a cage, a shaft mounted for lateral movement in the cage and supporting a blade adapted to cooperate with the ledger blade on the hook, means for preventing rotation of the shaft in the cage, and a spring associated with the shaft and the cage for maintaining tension of the blade against the hook.

' JOSEPH GARFIELD.

HYMAN L. SIMON. 

